Portal:Current events/2015 June 17
June 17, 2015 (Wednesday)
Arts and culture
- The American NBC network announces that Lester Holt will continue as the host of the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams returning in an undisclosed role. (The Wrap)
Business and economy
- U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew announces that the Treasury will supplement Alexander Hamilton's depiction on the U.S. ten-dollar bill with that of a woman, the identity of which is to be chosen after public debate. (The Hill)
- In the United States, the California Labor Commission ruled that a San Francisco Uber driver is a company employee, not a contractor. Uber appealed this ruling, that would increase the company's costs and liabilities, to the state's court system. A hearing for a class certification of a similar lawsuit against Uber is scheduled for August 2015. (NPR), (Time Magazine) (U.S. News & World Report)
Disasters and accidents
- North Korea runs a campaign to fight water drought, which according to United Nations is the worst within the past 100 years. (Reuters)
International relations
- The People's Republic of China and Australia sign a free trade agreement in Canberra as Andrew Robb, Australia's Minister for Trade and Investment, warns that the United States Congress only has weeks to approve the Trans-Pacific Partnership. (CCTV via Twitter), (AP)
- Vietnam accuses China of attacking Vietnamese fishermen in three separate incidents in the South China Sea. (AP)
Law and crime
- Charleston church shooting
- Nine people are dead following a mass shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. (CNN), (Post and Courier), (ABC News America)
- A California model, Lauren Wasser, files a lawsuit against Kimberly-Clark Corporation for toxic shock syndrome, which resulted in losing her right leg, allegedly caused by the product, Kotex Natural Balance. (Daily Mail)
Politics and elections
- Protesters gather outside the Hong Kong Legislative Council ahead of a contentious vote on election of the Chief Executive of Hong Kong. (Deutsche Welle)
- The National Diet of Japan votes to lower the voting age from 20 to 18. (Mainichi)